Invisible Illness: Annie’s battle with MS

*Annie was diagnosed with MS in April 2022 when she awoke with vision loss. She needs help with monthly expenses for 1 year to bridge the gap until her benefits are approved. We are estimating the timeline but hope to be able to have her on assistance by this time next year, depending on how slow our government moves.*

All donations received will go towards living and medical expenses (rent, groceries, car insurance (for her son/chauffeur), cell phone, medications, MRIs, doctor visits, etc).

Read on for the stories of her lives…

Saturday April 30th, 2022. The day her 3rd life started. If cats have 9 lives, my sister has had at least 3. Her first life was a whirlwind. She grew up in Spring, TX something of a rebel/gypsy. Always testing the limits and making people laugh. After graduating, she began her career as a hairdresser/therapist; you know you tell your hairdresser ALL THE TEA. For 20 years she went through all the challenges and blessings life has to offer. She married, divorced, had babies, and watched them grow into amazing young men. All while chasing her passion of making women feel beautiful in their own hair and skin. Her smile is infectious, and her quick wit makes you laugh until you cry. Annie is simply my hero. She’s not just a big sister but she’s THE BIG SISTER. The one everyone deserves. She loves fiercely and always makes you feel good enough. She holds you when you cry and doesn’t judge you for your mistakes…even when you make them multiple times. For me personally, she’s always been my biggest fan, supporter, ride or die.

Four years ago in June, Annie’s 1st life ended, and her 2nd life began. I’ll never forget that day. She called me panicked, thinking she was having an anxiety attack. Her legs wouldn’t work. She couldn’t stand up. I left work and rushed over. I tried to help her up. I couldn’t. She couldn’t. We couldn’t. We called 911 and they took her to the hospital. Initially, she was told she was dehydrated and admitted for observation and fluids. While there, she developed a cough and potentially pneumonia after a few days. The hospital wanted a CT scan to check her lungs. And that’s when the hospital killed my sister and God stepped in and brought her back. Annie had previous shellfish allergies which meant she was more likely to be allergic to iodine contrast. She wasn't coherent enough to tell them about her allergy and they never asked us. She went into cardiac arrest and died in the CT scan. After multiple rounds of CPR, she was resuscitated, intubated, and put into ICU with a 50/50 chance of making it. She spent 11 days in the ICU, most of those unconscious in a coma or heavily sedated. On day 12 she fully regained consciousness and her body started working again. She fought her way back and after over a month in the hospital, she went home. But this wasn’t her old life.

Her second life was different. Slower. She had trouble speaking at times. Her tongue didn’t always work. Her body hurt all the time. Her foot on one side stopped working correctly. We self-diagnosed it as drop foot because hairdressers are rarely insured by their employers and Annie couldn’t afford private insurance rates (WHO CAN?). Through all of this, you’d expect her to be bitter. Angry. Litigious. But that’s not our Annie. With all the grace of the beautiful woman she is, she healed. She let go. She let God. Instead of being upset about her foot, she nicknamed him Frank (short for Frankenfoot because he makes her walk like Frankenstein). We laugh at Frank. We talk about him like he's his own person because he's her zombie foot that doesn't do what she tells him to. We sometimes call him a b!tch when he’s causing her immeasurable pain. And yet she still got up every day, went to work for hours on her feet, and fought her way back to her new normal. Her 2nd life.

On April 30th of this year, her 2nd life ended, and her 3rd life began. That morning, she texted and then called me and said, “I think I need to go to the hospital. I woke up this morning and cannot see out of one eye”. Imagine waking up with sudden vision loss. How frightening that must be. All the questions in your head about your health. Is it a stroke? Did I get bleach in it? What else could it be? We started with an eye doctor. Unfortunately, his news wasn’t what we wanted. It wasn’t bleach. Her EYES are fine. There's nothing wrong with them; they respond normally to stimulation. “This is a medical issue, and I advise you to leave here and go directly to the ER.” More scary words, thoughts, what ifs. My sister, who hasn’t stepped foot in a hospital since the last one nearly took her life (actually did but was able to bring her back), summoned all of the courage in her heart and walked into the ER. Shaking. Anxiety ridden. Not just over what was currently happening but also because of the mistake that happened years ago. This time we took no chances. She told every person who came near her that she had anaphylaxis in response to iodine. NO CONTRAST allowed. I mean every nurse, every technician, admissions, triage. All of them. And after she told them, I told them. After several hours and an MRI later, we were finally met with the answer. Annie has MS. Multiple Sclerosis. She was admitted and provided treatments to help calm the flare-up she was undergoing. The treatments were rough. The steroids were brutal. Still, she showed strength. Even faced with the possibility that she may not regain her eyesight, the damage may be irreversible. Even when the Neurologist told her that not only does she have MS, but she’s also HAD MS for a long time. Possibly back to 2018. Most likely the reason she couldn’t stand that day. MS affects your nerves, and it’s possible she was in the midst of a flare-up affecting the nerves in her legs. We will never know. But here we are. Perfectly healthy eyes with damaged optic nerves that can no longer receive the images and transmit them to her brain. There’s a disconnect. And just like that, in the snap of a finger, her 3rd life began.

This has been the most challenging life yet, but Annie has faced it again with grace and strength. Even through her tears, there has been strength. She cannot see out of one eye, and the other has double vision. Her MS has caused optic neuritis, which can clear up, but so far has not. https://mstrust.org.uk/a-z/optic-neuritis . It affects her depth perception, which means she cannot drive, and she’s light intolerant which means the bright lighting of a salon makes her condition worse. So now she cannot work in her profession. Imagine waking up one day and losing your eyesight and your independence. She cannot drive. She cannot work. She cannot provide for herself or her 15-year-old son. Thankfully he was just able to get his learner's permit so he can chauffeur her around. For 5 months, she’s wholly relied on family and savings to help her sustain her household. For 5 months, she’s had to call for rides, been stuck at home, and unable to do any of the things she used to do. All while caring for herself and trying to heal her body. All while educating people on invisible illnesses. Annie LOOKS fine on the outside. On the inside, her body is literally killing itself. She’s exhausted and in pain most days. She gets severe MS hugs that cause not only intense pain but anxiety as well. (https://www.healthline.com/health/multiple-sclerosis/ms-hug) Things we do and take for granted are much more difficult for her (climbing a flight of stairs, getting ready, reading anything on a screen). Unfortunately, many people have shown their ignorance in the form of being unsympathetic. That creates an emotional toll as well. Losing your independence as a fiercely independent woman is probably the hardest part.

We immediately applied her for SSI, Medicaid, SNAP, etc., back in April/May. But as we all know, the government moves as fast as molasses. We’ve reached the point where we need help. Annie needs your help. We are confident in our ability to get her benefits, but not the timeline. We are asking for enough to cover her living expenses for 1 year, plus her MRI expenses, so that she can continue with treatment. Annie has always been extremely frugal, and her monthly expenses aren’t much. But to a person who can no longer work, they are a mountain.

Anything you can offer to help bridge the gap is a blessing.

“Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work” – 2 Corinthians 9:6-8

GOD BLESSES THE GIFT AND THE GIVER.

Please help Annie so she can focus on her health and getting the help she needs.

Thank you!!!